A man suspected of having committed thefts in several businesses in Plateau-Mont-Royal and Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie has just been nabbed by Montreal police. The suspect, whose most recent offense dates back to Monday, will remain detained for the moment.
This was announced by the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) in a press release on Wednesday. It specifies that the suspect, aged 59, was arrested in connection with “at least four robberies” in businesses in the two boroughs since October 19.
The most recent was allegedly committed just two days ago, in an animal products business on Avenue du Mont-Royal Est.
A bookstore, a pharmacy and a café were also targeted in recent weeks by the thief, who also operated on rue Beaubien Est. The latter “entered the targeted business and threatened the employee on site by brandishing a weapon, with the aim of obtaining money from the cash register”, before leaving the premises, says the SPVM.
After his arrest on Tuesday, the fifty-year-old appeared at the Montreal courthouse. His Montreal residence had in the meantime been searched by investigators, who collected several pieces of evidence.
He now faces several charges of robbery, but also of using an imitation firearm during the commission of a robbery.
He is suspected of having physically simulated the presence of a weapon in order to achieve his ends and steal money from traders. The man will remain in detention until the continuation of legal proceedings in a few weeks.
The investigation will also continue in the coming days, since according to the police, a second individual may have been involved in this series of robberies. It was the Northern Section of Project Investigations which carried out the first part of the investigation, in conjunction with neighborhood stations 35 and 38, as well as specialized units.
Anyone with relevant information related to this matter is therefore invited to quickly contact 911 or their local station. To transmit information anonymously, it is also possible to contact the Info-Crime Montréal center at 514-393-1133 or to complete an online reporting form on its website.